Chapter 16 (Bug Fixing)
The stones were swallowed up in an instant, and the Devouring Bone River’s waters returned to a gentle trickle, restoring the illusion of calm and beauty.
Qi Miao politely shared her thoughts with Chu Chan.
Startled, Chu Chan looked at Qi Miao. The younger disciple from the Forging Workshop had a beautiful face, her long black hair cascading past her shoulders made her skin appear even paler, and her dark, clear eyes seemed utterly harmless.
Yet, what was this seemingly obedient junior sister saying? She wanted to collect some water from the Devouring Bone River?
“...Junior Sister Qi, are you joking with me?” The young girl’s long, dark lashes fluttered as her black eyes remained confused. “No, I’m not.”
“...”
Qiu Tu was walking ahead when suddenly someone yanked his collar hard from behind. He clutched his sore neck and turned around angrily.
Chu Chan showed no remorse. “Qi Miao said she wanted to collect some Devouring Bone River water. I spoke harshly; you can go and talk to her.”
“Collect what?” Qiu Tu doubted his own ears.
Chu Chan smiled faintly. “Devouring Bone Water.”
Tang Mingqin and Liu Ruzhen overheard the conversation.
They all glanced toward the troublesome debtor. Qi Miao, feeling their gazes, whispered, “It’s a material used in forging.”
Qiu Tu fell silent for a moment, then doubted, “Though I don’t practice forging, I’ve never heard of any forger using Devouring Bone Water.”
Was Junior Sister Qi really not joking?
Qi Miao looked back, trying to move them with her sincere eyes.
Liu Ruzhen pinched the bridge of his nose and slowly asked, “How do you plan to collect the Devouring Bone River water? If you put it directly into a storage pouch, it might not withstand the pressure and could be damaged.”
Then they saw Qi Miao listen carefully, then take out two oddly shaped transparent vessels. “You can use these.”
Liu Ruzhen raised an eyebrow. “What are these?”
“Reagent bottles,” Qi Miao replied somewhat regretfully. When she had made these reagent bottles, it was merely to practice stone refining; she had never imagined they would come in handy. Hence, she only had two on hand.
After this return to the sect, she would definitely make a hundred or so more.
Hearing this, Liu Ruzhen opened his palm, signaling Qi Miao to hand them over.
When Qi Miao passed the reagent bottles, she carefully reminded Liu Ruzhen, “Hold them steady, don’t drop them, and don’t squeeze too hard—they’re fragile.”
“...” Liu Ruzhen looked up at Qi Miao and lightly sneered, “You intend to use such fragile vessels to hold Devouring Bone River water?”
Qi Miao, however, was resolute. “Yes, they can.”
Glass has very strong chemical stability and high corrosion resistance; a mere Devouring Bone River water was no challenge.
---
Liu Ruzhen and the others remained skeptical of Qi Miao’s words but decided to let her try. Liu Ruzhen placed the reagent bottles on the ground, summoned the Devouring Bone River water with his spiritual power, and poured it into the transparent vessels.
Chu Chan, holding Qi Miao’s hand, along with Tang Mingqin and Qiu Tu, quickly retreated, putting distance between themselves and Liu Ruzhen, fearing that if the vessels exploded, the Devouring Bone River water might splash on them.
Liu Ruzhen paid them no mind and continued filling the bottles. Surprisingly, even when the crystal-clear Devouring Bone River water filled the vessels, the anticipated disaster did not occur.
“It really didn’t break...” Chu Chan murmured.
They watched the tranquil water inside the glass bottles, a flicker of something unusual passing through their eyes. Before Liu Ruzhen could finish his surprise, a gust of wind swept by—Qi Miao hurried over, sealed the bottle mouths, and happily placed them into her storage bag.
A faint crack appeared on Liu Ruzhen’s calm, handsome face; his expression was complex as he glanced at her several times.
Not only him, but Chu Chan and the others’ gazes toward Qi Miao subtly changed.
This junior sister seemed to have some talent.
Since Liu Ruzhen and the others did not understand forging, after a brief moment of admiration, they returned to the matter of crossing the river.
Tang Mingqin, entrusted with demonstrating the way, stepped forward, mounted his flying sword, and soared into the air, speeding towards the opposite bank.
But just as he reached above the Devouring Bone River, the calm waters suddenly surged violently, shooting several water columns into the sky, attempting to block his path.
Yet Tang Mingqin’s agility and speed were remarkable; like a breeze, he slipped through the gaps between the water columns and landed steadily on the far shore within seconds.
Liu Ruzhen looked down at Qi Miao. “Did you understand?”
Qi Miao blushed. “I think I saw how.”
“...”
Liu Ruzhen sighed. “I’ll show you again.”
Any of them could help Qi Miao cross the river, but when they had formed their team, they agreed that, barring necessity, they would not participate in her trials.
If Qi Miao couldn’t even cross the Devouring Bone River, then she shouldn’t venture into the Shadowed Valley.
With that, Liu Ruzhen began again, demonstrating the technique for crossing the river.
This time, Qi Miao focused on the speed at which the Devouring Bone River water surged. After Liu Ruzhen reached the shore, she had a clearer understanding.
Not far away, a man and a woman hid in the shadows.
They had just arrived, and upon seeing people on the opposite bank, they hid first. Now, they observed Qi Miao and the others cross the river.
Wan Qihao frowned deeply, perplexed. “What is the Cangwu Sect doing?”
Wan Qiyue hesitated. “It seems like they’re teaching the girl with the lowest cultivation how to cross the river.”
They tried once and failed, then tried again.
“I can see that,” Wan Qihao turned to his twin sister. “But are they serious? There’s time in this secret realm to teach someone? Are they here to babysit?”
---
His words had just fallen when the girl with the lowest cultivation successfully crossed the river. The two others behind her soon arrived on the shore. Approaching her, they looked gratified and applauded enthusiastically.
As if the girl had accomplished something extraordinary.
Wan Qihao was speechless.
Wan Qiyue sighed deeply. “It really looks like they’re babysitting.”
Wan Qihao crushed the grass in his hand, his expression twisted. “We know all four of those people—Liu Ruzhen, Tang Mingqin, Chu Chan, and Qiu Tu. They’re all prodigies from the Northern Territory. You’re telling me they’re babysitting in a secret realm?”
Wan Qiyue glanced at her brother. Three years ago, in the Great Competition of the Cultivation World, Wan Qihao lost to Liu Ruzhen.
Since then, Wan Qihao had been training rigorously, preparing to avenge his defeat in the upcoming competition in a few months.
Seeing his longtime rival relaxing in the secret realm stirred resentment in his heart.
Before she could say anything to calm Wan Qihao, Liu Ruzhen seemed unable to tolerate Qiu Tu and Chu Chan’s behavior nearby and said firmly, “That’s enough.”
Wan Qihao stopped crushing the grass and looked back at the Cangwu Sect group.
He knew Liu Ruzhen and the others couldn’t truly be so carefree in the secret realm. Though their clothes looked intact, they were covered with dirt and grime; they probably had just been through a tough battle.
Helping this unknown girl was likely just because she was from the Cangwu Sect.
At this moment, Liu Ruzhen told Qiu Tu and the other, “The real danger starts once we enter the Shadowed Valley. You two must protect Qi Miao and not be careless.”
Wan Qihao was speechless.
Chu Chan seemed displeased. “Of course I won’t be careless. Why do you only say that to us two?”
Tang Mingqin’s eyes were cold, his voice low. “Because you two seem frivolous.”
Chu Chan was furious, ready to give the arrogant sword and magic cultivators a good beating. The unknown girl quickly intervened.
Only then did Chu Chan quell her anger, snorting coldly at Liu Ruzhen and Tang Mingqin, “For Junior Sister Qi’s sake, I won’t argue with you.”
Wan Qihao couldn’t stand it anymore. Lowering his voice, he pointed at Qi Miao and asked, “...Who exactly is she?”
Why was she surrounded and guarded by the Northern Territory's elite prodigies?
Wan Qiyue had no idea. She stared at Qi Miao for a moment and thought the girl was just very pretty with no obvious peculiarities.
Yet Liu Ruzhen and the others’ attention to Qi Miao seemed genuine, which was strange.
Catching a glimpse of her brother still awaiting her answer, Wan Qiyue hastily made something up, “Maybe she has some special background. Perhaps she’s the daughter of the Cangwu Sect’s sect leader.”